From Mia Farrow, stories of Sudanese victims

By Brett Tomlinson
Published in the April 27, 2011, issue

Beverly Schaefer

Actress and UNICEF goodwill ambassador Mia Farrow visited campus March 25 to speak about the prospects for peace in Sudan, a nation torn apart by violence and genocide.

Farrow, who has traveled to Sudan more than a dozen times, presented images from her trips and told stories about the people she has met, including villagers displaced from their homes in the Darfur region. While Darfur may have receded from the headlines, Farrow said, aerial attacks and ground assaults on its people continue, under the direction of the Sudanese government in Khartoum.

“In fact, with attention now focused on [South Sudan], the violence in Darfur has escalated to a point that we have not seen since 2003 or 2004,” she said. “Just since December, at least 14 villages have been attacked; 70,000 to 100,000 people have been displaced and have fled, joining the 2.7 million already homeless. ... These are the victims of our indifference.”

Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J. also spoke at the event, examining political developments in South Sudan, where citizens recently voted to separate from Sudan and create an independent nation.